Florida Aquarium Honors Our Military This Memorial Day

Florida Aquarium Honors Our Military This Memorial Day

This Memorial Day Weekend and every day, The Florida Aquarium remembers the fallen and thanks all military members and veterans for protecting and serving our country. Join them Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 24 – Monday, May 27, 2019, with amazing animals and plants that call the Aquarium home. The Aquarium is open every day: 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

During this upcoming holiday weekend, all active duty, veteran, retired or drilling reservist or National Guardsman can receive two free* general admission tickets. Additional guests (up to four people) also can get an exclusive 50% off Aquarium general admission ticket. To receive this ticket promotion, a valid military ID must be presented at The Florida Aquarium ticket office. Tickets are not available for advance online purchase.

While at the Aquarium, go from tree level to sea level and see more than 14,000 animals, including native Florida birds and otters, to sharks, alligators, seahorses and more. You are sure to have a fantastic experience. Sights include a large simulated wetlands environment located under a tall glass atrium, shallow bays, and beaches, and a coral reef ecosystem encompassed in half a million gallons of natural seawater.

After exploring all the exhibits inside, come aboard the 72-foot Wild Dolphin Cruise catamaran for a 75-minute excursion around Tampa Bay for a chance to see wild dolphins and seabirds in their natural habitat. (Reservations and an additional charge are required for the Wild Dolphin Cruise.)

To learn more about Memorial Day at The Florida Aquarium and all of the upcoming events offered at The Florida Aquarium year-round, visit the website.

 

*Offer includes any active duty, veteran, retired or drilling reservist or National Guardsmen and must be redeemed with a valid military ID at The Florida Aquarium Ticket Office. 

November 2023 NEWS is HOT off the Press!

November 2023 NEWS is HOT off the Press!

Discover what the Long Range Planning Committee is working on, find out how folks cruise around SCC, hear from the candidates for CA Board of Directors, ring bells with DAR, support local kids, laugh with the Pelican Players, travel to…

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass ClubBy Paula Lickfeldt The Stained Glass Club was founded in 1991. The first president was Phyllis Colleran, who was president from 1991 until 1996. In the beginning, the Stained Glass Club shared a room with the Railroad...

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club: Seminars, Individual Help, and CamaraderieBy Diane M. Loeffler, Photos by Bill Simmons Do you want to delve into your family history for the first time? Have you been dabbling (or maybe even extensively searching) into your genealogy, but...

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart StudyBy Diane M. Loeffler More than 1200 people crowded into Community Hall on January 30 for the Golf Cart Mobility Study meeting. Some sat or stood in the main hall, others were in adjacent rooms where they might not...

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our VeteransBy Diane M. Loeffler On Thursday, January 10, the Veterans Memorial was dedicated in deeply moving ceremonies held in Community Hall and at the site of the memorial. The program began with the SCC United Methodist Church Choir...

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Beautifully restored classic cars, antiques, street rods, and resto-mods will be on display at Freedom Plaza’s Golfview Terrace (819 Freedom Plaza Circle, SCC) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sun City Center, the...

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

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Camp Bayou gets ready for summer!

Camp Bayou gets ready for summer!

Camp Bayou Gets Ready for Summer!

By Dolly Cummings, Director Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center

 

There’s lots of sun and fun this season as Camp Bayou gets ready for summer! Saturday, June 1 is National Trails Day. There will be cart tours, scavenger hunts, and other activities. New this year is our guided Fern Walk, starting at 9 a.m. Explore the wild west side of Camp Bayou, for a trail that is less traveled. No registration necessary. An 8 a.m. Fun Run will hit the trails for an easy 5K. Those who complete the run will be treated to ice cold watermelon slices as a reward. Register here.

The Third Saturday Paddle Tours continue through the summer, as weather conditions allow. Be sure to reserve your space if you wish to join the group. Call 813-641-8545. You can rent a canoe or kayak for just $25 or bring your own for a $5 donation. Please arrive by 9 a.m. for a 90-minute tour. 

Save the Date: Saturday, August 3, 2019 is our annual Back to School-Back to Nature event, 9 – noon. Kids visit various nature stations and get a free school supply item, plus raffles for backpacks, binders and more!

Teachers: the school year may be just about over but it’s never too early to book your field trips for the fall. Fill out this request form to secure your preferred day.

Camp Bayou is always looking for a few good volunteers to help with youth programs, plus other tasks that keep the Center running smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering, fill out this volunteer form.

The Center is open from Thursday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. for passive recreational pursuits such as wildlife watching, nature photography and trail walks. General admission is still free.

The Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is a public- private partnership between Bayou Outdoor Learning and Discovery, Inc. (B.O.L.D.), and Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management. Camp Bayou is located three miles south of SR-674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. Visit the website.

 

In the photo: Kids enjoy discovering critters at Camp Bayou! (Photo courtesy Camp Bayou)

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders   By Diane M. Loeffler On Wednesday, December 22, a group of Kings Point and Sun City Center Community Association residents met in the lobby of South Bay Hospital to donate money to three groups...

JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Relive the festive fun of the Holiday Cart Parade, cruise SCC to find colorful lights and holiday decorations, swing by St. Andrew for Rock ‘n’ Roll Crafts and Cars, meet the new SCCCA Board members, check in with the Security...

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass ClubBy Paula Lickfeldt The Stained Glass Club was founded in 1991. The first president was Phyllis Colleran, who was president from 1991 until 1996. In the beginning, the Stained Glass Club shared a room with the Railroad...

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club: Seminars, Individual Help, and CamaraderieBy Diane M. Loeffler, Photos by Bill Simmons Do you want to delve into your family history for the first time? Have you been dabbling (or maybe even extensively searching) into your genealogy, but...

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart StudyBy Diane M. Loeffler More than 1200 people crowded into Community Hall on January 30 for the Golf Cart Mobility Study meeting. Some sat or stood in the main hall, others were in adjacent rooms where they might not...

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our VeteransBy Diane M. Loeffler On Thursday, January 10, the Veterans Memorial was dedicated in deeply moving ceremonies held in Community Hall and at the site of the memorial. The program began with the SCC United Methodist Church Choir...

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Beautifully restored classic cars, antiques, street rods, and resto-mods will be on display at Freedom Plaza’s Golfview Terrace (819 Freedom Plaza Circle, SCC) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sun City Center, the...

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

The SouthShore Regional Library will unveil a special display of poetry during February, National Library Lovers Month. The library is coordinating with the Southshore Poets, a group of local educators and writers, to display poems relating to libraries or...

Amsterdam Newest Non-stop Service

Amsterdam Newest Non-stop Service

Amsterdam Newest Non-stop Service

By Kai Rambow

 

Delta Airlines recently celebrated their inauguration of non-stop service from Tampa to Amsterdam. The following non-stop options are now available to us:  British Airways and Norwegian to London Gatwick; Edelweiss to Zurich; Icelandair to Reykjavik; and Lufthansa to Frankfurt.

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass ClubBy Paula Lickfeldt The Stained Glass Club was founded in 1991. The first president was Phyllis Colleran, who was president from 1991 until 1996. In the beginning, the Stained Glass Club shared a room with the Railroad...

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club: Seminars, Individual Help, and CamaraderieBy Diane M. Loeffler, Photos by Bill Simmons Do you want to delve into your family history for the first time? Have you been dabbling (or maybe even extensively searching) into your genealogy, but...

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart StudyBy Diane M. Loeffler More than 1200 people crowded into Community Hall on January 30 for the Golf Cart Mobility Study meeting. Some sat or stood in the main hall, others were in adjacent rooms where they might not...

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our VeteransBy Diane M. Loeffler On Thursday, January 10, the Veterans Memorial was dedicated in deeply moving ceremonies held in Community Hall and at the site of the memorial. The program began with the SCC United Methodist Church Choir...

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Beautifully restored classic cars, antiques, street rods, and resto-mods will be on display at Freedom Plaza’s Golfview Terrace (819 Freedom Plaza Circle, SCC) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sun City Center, the...

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

The SouthShore Regional Library will unveil a special display of poetry during February, National Library Lovers Month. The library is coordinating with the Southshore Poets, a group of local educators and writers, to display poems relating to libraries or...

Coffee with a Cop June 25

Coffee with a Cop June 25

Deputy Jeffrey Merry would like to invite you to join your neighbors and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies for “Coffee with a Cop” on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 8 to 9 a.m., at the Ruskin Dunkin Donuts location, 717 Cypress Creek Blvd.

Deputy Merry says this is an opportunity to have a conversation with your local patrol deputies and detectives. He has invited Sheriff Chronister to attend.

 

November 2023 NEWS is HOT off the Press!

November 2023 NEWS is HOT off the Press!

Discover what the Long Range Planning Committee is working on, find out how folks cruise around SCC, hear from the candidates for CA Board of Directors, ring bells with DAR, support local kids, laugh with the Pelican Players, travel to…

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass ClubBy Paula Lickfeldt The Stained Glass Club was founded in 1991. The first president was Phyllis Colleran, who was president from 1991 until 1996. In the beginning, the Stained Glass Club shared a room with the Railroad...

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club: Seminars, Individual Help, and CamaraderieBy Diane M. Loeffler, Photos by Bill Simmons Do you want to delve into your family history for the first time? Have you been dabbling (or maybe even extensively searching) into your genealogy, but...

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart StudyBy Diane M. Loeffler More than 1200 people crowded into Community Hall on January 30 for the Golf Cart Mobility Study meeting. Some sat or stood in the main hall, others were in adjacent rooms where they might not...

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our VeteransBy Diane M. Loeffler On Thursday, January 10, the Veterans Memorial was dedicated in deeply moving ceremonies held in Community Hall and at the site of the memorial. The program began with the SCC United Methodist Church Choir...

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Beautifully restored classic cars, antiques, street rods, and resto-mods will be on display at Freedom Plaza’s Golfview Terrace (819 Freedom Plaza Circle, SCC) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sun City Center, the...

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

The SouthShore Regional Library will unveil a special display of poetry during February, National Library Lovers Month. The library is coordinating with the Southshore Poets, a group of local educators and writers, to display poems relating to libraries or...

Veterans Fair Draws Tremendous Response

Veterans Fair Draws Tremendous Response

Veterans Fair Draws Tremendous Response

By Kai Rambow

 

“I went all the way around, and I probably stopped at ninety percent of the tables,” commented wheelchair-bound veteran, Patrick Clarahan.  “Just about every table, people were very easy to talk to.  There were a few tables at which I had to wait, but it wasn’t that bad.”

The wait was due to the tremendous response from community veterans. Hundreds showed up to learn about services available to them. Pam Smith-Beatty, a 21-year veteran herself, is the Women Veterans Program Manager with the VA.  When asked about the focus on women, Smith-Beatty illuminated: “A lot of times they don’t think of themselves as veterans. Women do so many things, they often push their service to the side and we don’t think about it. In reality, that service means that you’re eligible for health benefits, care, loans and the GI bill. If you’ve ever served in any service, you should look and see what you’re benefits might be.”

Not knowing what is available was a common theme. Manuel Guevara with The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay shared how very few veterans knew about their center. “It is the epicenter for crises or referral.  We answer the 211 calls, the substance abuse hotline, and the suicide prevention line.” Just about any question related to mental health and well-being can probably be answered by this center.  More importantly, they can let veterans know where to find help.

Clarahan was enthused to learn about some extracurricular activities that should help him get out of the house more.  “Because of my disabilities, I spend a lot of my time watching TV.”  This well attended event was clearly helpful to many veterans.

 

In the photo: Bud Brubaker and Bill McKiernan volunteered to let Marine veterans know about the Leathernecks club.

The January 2020 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS

The January 2020 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS

In this issue… Relive the “Holiday” fun of the Cart Parade, Breakfast, and Walk. Bask in the warm glow of festive holiday lights. Celebrate another successful SCC Shrine Club Children’s Christmas party and shimmering Apollo Beach boat parade....

Go “Home for the Holidays” with the 2019 Golf Cart Parade

Go “Home for the Holidays” with the 2019 Golf Cart Parade

The “Home for the Holidays” Holiday Golf Cart Parade begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 14. Residents, businesses, HOAs, service organizations, and clubs from across the communitywill come together to celebrate the season with festive and creative...

Don’t Miss the Holiday Breakfast & Walk

Don’t Miss the Holiday Breakfast & Walk

Mark your calendars for festive holiday fun on December 7. Plan to start your day with a delicious breakfast for only $5! The committee members have been busy planning the gathering, which will be held in Community Hall from 7:30 until 11:30 a.m. The...

The December 2019 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS

The December 2019 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS

In this issue… Save the date for the Holiday Breakfast and Walk (Dec. 7), as well as the Holiday Cart Parade (Dec. 14). Find holiday lights to see in SCC, meet some local woodcarvers, potters, and bird watchers; find out what happened at “Hi,...

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass Club

Get to Know the Stained Glass ClubBy Paula Lickfeldt The Stained Glass Club was founded in 1991. The first president was Phyllis Colleran, who was president from 1991 until 1996. In the beginning, the Stained Glass Club shared a room with the Railroad...

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club

Genealogy Club: Seminars, Individual Help, and CamaraderieBy Diane M. Loeffler, Photos by Bill Simmons Do you want to delve into your family history for the first time? Have you been dabbling (or maybe even extensively searching) into your genealogy, but...

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart StudyBy Diane M. Loeffler More than 1200 people crowded into Community Hall on January 30 for the Golf Cart Mobility Study meeting. Some sat or stood in the main hall, others were in adjacent rooms where they might not...

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our VeteransBy Diane M. Loeffler On Thursday, January 10, the Veterans Memorial was dedicated in deeply moving ceremonies held in Community Hall and at the site of the memorial. The program began with the SCC United Methodist Church Choir...

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Beautifully restored classic cars, antiques, street rods, and resto-mods will be on display at Freedom Plaza’s Golfview Terrace (819 Freedom Plaza Circle, SCC) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sun City Center, the...

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

The SouthShore Regional Library will unveil a special display of poetry during February, National Library Lovers Month. The library is coordinating with the Southshore Poets, a group of local educators and writers, to display poems relating to libraries or...